Interchangeable shoe shine kits



Oct. 25, 1960 J. ROSS INTERCHANGEABLE SHOE SHINE xrrs 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 18, 1959 INVENTOR.

JOHN ROSS Oct. 25, 1960 J. ROSS 2,957,194

INTERCHANGEABLE SHOE SHINE KITS Filed May 18, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 54 4 4? 6' 94 56 gaf -5s INTERCHANGEABLE SHOE SHINE KITS John Ross, 369 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y.

Filed May 18, 1959, Ser. No. 813,962

3 Claims. (Cl. 15265) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in shoe shine kits.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a shoe shine kit that serves as an eflicient device for cleaning and shining shoes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe shine kit with a shoe shine box capable of storing shoe cleaning and shining equipment, such as brushes, polishes, cloths, bottles and the like and having a sliding cover whereby ready access may be had to such equipment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shoe shine kit having a support for detachably mounting vertical posts of various lengths, the posts mounting foot rests on the tops thereof.

it is also an object to provide a base for removably supporting the shoe shine box and for removably supporting the post.

It is also proposed to provide a shoe shine kit with means for supporting the shoe shining cloth in convenient position.

Still another object is to provide a collapsible shoe shine kit wherein the shoe shine box, the cover for the box and the standard for supporting the foot rest are removably mounted.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a shoe shine box having flat sides for receiving maps, marine and inland scenes painted thereupon to make the apparatus attractive in appearance and to stimulate conversation.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

'Fig. l is a perspective view of a shoe shine kit'embodying my invention.

- Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof, parts being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of'the shoe shine box.

*Fig. 4 is atop plan'view of the base with the shoe shine box and foot rest and support removed.

'Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View taken on the'plane Fig. 7 isa side elevational view of a modified form r of' foot support or rest.

"Referring in detail to the drawings, in Figxl a shoe shine kit made in accordance with the invention is shown and designated generally by the reference numeral 10.

The shoe shine kit is preferably formed of wood but may be made of plastic, metal or any other suitable rigid material.

in its 'entirety, the shoe shine kit'comprises a base 12,-a box Manda-support 16 for a shoe being shined.

I? In its entirety, the shoe shine kit is rectangular in nited States Patent 0 faces.

plan and the base and box measure approximately 18 x 10 /2 x 11 inches. Of course, the base and box may be made any desired size.

The base 12 is formed of a rectangular-shaped flat board 18 with squared corners and with smooth flat sur- The board may be cut away at the corners at one end as indicated at 26. A backing sheet 19 of cardboard or other semirigid material is preferably secured to the bottom of the board 18 by suitable fastenlong sides 30 of the blocks are beaded for decorative purposes, and the inner opposed long sides 32 are flat and smooth. The blocks are fastened to the board 18 by means of spaced metal straps 34 extending across the top of the boardadjacent both ends thereof and secured thereto by screws 36, similar screws 33 extending through openings in'the straps securing the blocks to the straps. A squareeshapedwooden block 46 is interposed between the pointed ends of the blocks and may be secured to the inner long edges 32 of the blocks by adhesive or the like; A metal plate 39 having a protruding central looped nose portion 41 is secured to the outer surface of the block 40 by nailing or in any other suitable manner.

The box is rectangular in cross section and configuration and includes side walls 44, 46, end walls 48, 50, and a flat bottom wall 52. The top of the box is open. The top edges of the end walls 48 and 5e and the side wall 44 are enlarged and formed with communicating grooves 54, 56 and 58, respectively. The side wall 46 terminates short of the top of the other Walls at a point flush with the base portion of the grooves. The. top ends, of the end walls taper slightly inwardly and upwardly from their sides, and a wooden handle 6% is supported on the peaked top ends of the end walls and extends thereabove for ready grasping by the user for transporting the box or kit toy. The top of the box may be closed by a flat wooden plate serving as a cover 62 slidable over the top end edge of side wall as and along .the grooves. 54, 56 inthe end Walls and insertable in the groove 58 inside wall 44. A finger piece 64 is secured to the outer top surface of the cover at its outermost long edge for manipulating the cover. The cover is also formed with a cut away portion 66 on the other inner long edge, opposite the finger piece 64 to provide clearance for a small block as in the groove 58 in the top of side wall 44 midway its ends. Bottom wall 52 extends beyond both side walls 44 and 46 and is formed with a downwardly extending flange 79 at each side and witha downwardly extending flange 72 along one end edge thereof, the outer end as viewed as in Fig. 1. A wooden bar 7-4 extends along the outer surface of the bottom Wall, centrally thereof, extending from the inner edge to a point remote from the outer edge. The bar may be fastened to the bottom wall by adhesive or the like.

The flange 7-2 is cut away midway its ends in line with the bar 74 as indicated at 76. Wooden brace bars 78 secured at one end to the side flanges 7t} and at the other end to the flange 72 brace the flange 72. A metal hinge leaf 8%) is fastened to the bottom surface of the bottom wall centrally of the cut away portion 76 by screws 82, and hinged to said leaf is a latch plate 84 having an elongated slot 86 and an elongated book 88 pivoted thereto and movable over the slot. The latch plate is adapted toswing outwardly of the outer end of the box as shown and swingably mounted on each elongated looped hasp 92. v a

in Fig. 3. On the outer surface of each side wall 44 and 46 of the box, at the other inner end thereof, adjacent the bottom wall, a metal keeper member 90 is secured, keeper member is an The foot support or rest 16comprises a rectangular- {shaped block 94 of wood'disposed across the top surfaces in the socket opening 96 and extends above the box 14. 7 An opening is formed in the block extending from one a long side thereof, the outer side as viewed in Fig. 1, to and intersecting the socket opening 96. The opening is lined with an internal screw threaded sleeve 100 for receiving an elongated setscrew 2 provided with a wing nut 104 on its outer end for turning the same. The inner end of the screw is adapted to be threaded into an internally screw threaded metal lined radial opening 106 in the post adjacent its bottom end so as to holdthe post securely in the socket opening.

A foot support or rest 108 is preferably removably mounted on the top end of the post 98. The support or rest 108 comprises an elongated wooden body 110. The body is substantially rectangular in shape and about the length of a shoe worn by an adult and as viewed in Fig. 1 has a flat top surface 114 to receive the sole of a shoe and a flat bottom surface 116. A socket opening 112 is formed in the bottom surface to receive the top end of the post 98. The top surface is cut away at one end to provide a recess 118 and a shoulder 120 to accommodate the heel of a shoe. The other end of the body 110 is preferably tapered.

The post 98 may be any length desired and may support the foot support or rest 108 or may removably support the modified form of shoe or foot support or rest 121 shown in Fig. 7. The foot support or rest 121 comprises a wooden body shaped in simulation of a wooden shoe having an upper body portion 122, with a sole portion 124 and a heel portion 126. An outer sole 128 may be fastened to the sole portion and a heel 130 to the heel portion. The sole 128 and heel 130 may be made of leather in order to make the shoe more realistic. At the instep portion of the shoe, the sole portion 124 is formed with a socket opening 132 to receive the top of the post 98. An elongated narrow piece of wood, rectangular in plan, constituting an arm 134, is secured at one end to the sole 128 centrally thereof adjacent the instep of the shoe by a screw 129 and extends forwardly of the shoe body terminating short of the end of the toe portion. The inner long edge of the arm is cut away as indicated at 136 and formed at its outer free end with an upturned end 138. This arm 134 provides a ready and convenient support for an elongated strip of cloth for cleaning and shining the shoe, which cloth usually forms part of the cleaning and shining equipment.

On each end of the block 94 adjacent its inner long side, a metal plate 140 is secured by screws 142. The plate is substantially rectangular in shape with one long edge thereof disposed flush with the end edge of the inner long side .of the block. The plate is formed along said long edge with a button-shaped bulge 144 offset outwardly from the plane of the plate. The bulge 144 is formed with a tongue portion 146 that is slightly offset inwardly from the plane of the bulge and projects beyond the adjacent long side of the block.

In assembling the shoe-shine kit and toy, the box 14 a is placed over the blocks 22 with its bottom central bar 74 inserted into the slot 23 to the right of block 94 as viewed in Fig.4. The box is then slid to the left toward the block 94 until the keepers 90 on the box slide over the tongues 146 on the plates 140 on the block 94. The

bar 74 serves as a guide during these operations. The hasps 92 on the box are then swung over the button-like bulges 144 on the plate 140 so as to fasten the inner end of the box to the block 94. The latch plate 84 may then be swung over the looped nose portion 41 on the plate 39 on block 40 on the base and the hook 88 swung through the looped nose portion to fasten the outer end of the box to the base; The post 98 is placed in the socket opening 96 in block 94 and the screw 102 set upon to secure the post removably in place. 7 The foot or shoe rest 108 or 121 is then mounted on the top end of the post by slipping the socket opening 96 therein over said top end of the pgst The shoe or foot support or rest is disposed horizontally with its heel portion pointing in a direction away from the box 14. The weight of the foot rest together with the weight of the foot of the user holds the foot rest in position. Of course, the foot rest may be mounted on the top of'the post 98 before the post is inserted into its socket opening 96.

The outer surfaces of the side and end walls of the box 14 are preferably decorated with scenery or the like, such as the map 150 on side wall 44 and the marine scene 152 on end wall 48 shown in Fig. 1, in order to make the apparatus more attractive in appearance and also to stimulate conversation between the bootblack and his customer.

Posts 98 of various lengths are preferably supplied so that when a person is cleaning and shining his own shoes, a post of suflicient length may be used so that his supported foot will be sufliciently high so as not to inconvenience him and so that it will not be necessary to stoop too far down.

All of the equipment necessary for cleaning and shining shoes, such as brushes, cans of polish, bottles, cloths are stored in the box 14 and are readily accessible when needed by merely sliding open the cover 62 so that speed of working is enhanced.

The apparatus can be readily disassembled or collapsed by merely unlatching the hasps 92 whereby the box 14 may be lifted oil? of the base 12, and by unscrewing screw 102 whereby the foot support 16 may be removed from the block 94. a

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. a

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a shoe shine kit, a flat rectangular-shaped base, a rectangular block fastened across the top of the base adjacent one end thereof, a rectangular-shaped box removably mounted on the top of the base on the other end thereof, said box having an open top, a slidable cover for said open top, means for removably fastening the box to the block, a removable standard on the base, and a foot rest on the top of the standard, means for removably fastening the standard to the block including looped hasps on theside walls of the box adjacent one end thereof, and plates on the ends of the block adjacent the side thereof adjacent the end of the box mounting the hasps, said plates having offset projections adapted to be engaged by the hasps.

2. In a shoe shine kit, a flat rectangular-shaped base,

a rectangular block fastened across the top of the base of the box, said latch having an elongated slot, and a metal plate secured to the base at said other end thereof, said plate having a looped nose portion protruding therefrom, said latch adapted to swing over said looped nose portion with the edge walls of the slot interlocked therewith, and a hook pivotally mounted on the latch having a portion inserted through the interlocked looped nose portion.

3. In a shoe shine kit, a flat rectangular-shaped base, a rectangular block fastened across the top of the base adjacent one end thereof, a rectangular-shaped box removably mounted on the top of the base on the other end thereof, said box having an open top, a slidable cover for said open top, means for removably fastening the box to the block, a removable standard on the base, and a foot rest on the top of the standard, means for removably fastening the standard to the block including looped hasps on the side walls of the box adjacent one end thereof, and plates on the ends of the block adjacent the side thereof adjacent the end of the box mounting the hasps, said plates, having ofiset projections adapted to be engaged by the hasps, a hinged latch on the bottom wall of the box at one end of the box, said latch having an elongated slot, and a metal plate secured to the base at said other end thereof, said plate having a looped nose portion protruding therefrom, said latch adapted to swing over said looped nose portion with the edge walls of the slot interlocked therewith, and a hook pivotally mounted on the latch having a portion inserted through the interlocked looped nose portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 652,807 Overcashier July 3, 1900 729,585 Hodes June 2, 1903 1,271,588 Krone July 9, 1918 1,287,360 Laurin Dec. 10, 1918 2,679,658 McCormick June 1, 1954 

